Fluorimetric Estimation of Aliphatic Hydrocarbons in Airborne Particulates

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Abstract
A thin-layer chromatographic method is presented that allows determination of long-chain aliphatic hydrocarbons in the benzene-soluble fraction of airborne particulate extracts by direct scanning in a spectrophotofluorimeter. Silica-gel plates were impregnated with rhodamine 6G, and after development the separated aliphatic hydrocarbon spot was scanned on a scanning spectrophotofluorimeter and measured. The area under the peak was concentration-dependent, with a useful range of analysis from 0.1 meg to at least 10 meg of aliphatics in terms of n-docosane. Urban air samples contained 1.6 to 2.7 meg of ali-phatics per cubic meter; nonurban samples had 0.12 to 0.24 meg. Since hydrocarbon carcinogens are ubiquitous, it is suggested that their concentration is of secondary importance in many cases, whereas the much higher concentrations of the cocarcinogens (such as large aliphatic hydrocarbons) and prolonged exposure to them are probably of prime importance. A number of polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons and pesticides were screened and were found not to interfere with the determination of the aliphatic hydrocarbons. Their chromatographic and fluorimetric properties under experimental conditions are discussed.

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